Running-gear for motor-vehicles.



No. 721,912. PATENTED MAR 3 1901:. J. W. PACKARD & W. A. HATGHER.' RUNNING GEAR FOR MOTOR- VEHICLES.

APPLICATION FlLED MAR. 10. 1902.

3 SHBETS-SHEETI N0 MODEL PATENTED MAIL 3, 1903. J. W. PACKARD & W. A. HATGHER.

RUNNING GEAR FOR MOTOR VEHICLES. APPLIQATION IILE MA'R, 10, 1902.

NO MODEL. 3 SHEETS -SHEL'T PATENTND MAR.8,19D- J. w. PAOKARDK; W. A. HATGHEYR. RUNNING GEAR FOR MOTOR VEHICLES;

a SHEETS-sank APPLICATION FILED MAR 10, 1902 NO MODEL.

7 61mm up Wihwooeo 15 the forward fixed. axle is heid against tend- NiTEfii distress JAMES W. PACKARD AND WILLIAM A. HAT

SIGNOES TO OHIO AUTOMOBILE RATION' m EST VIRGINIA.

Fries.

. PATENT CHER, F W'ARREN, OHIO, AS-

COMPANY, OF WARREN, OHIO, A CORPO- SPECIFICATION formingpart of Letters Patent No. 721,912, dated March 3, 1903. I

Application filed March 10, 1902. Serial'lTo. 97,481. No model.)

To all whom if; may concern.-

Be it known that, we, JAMES W. PACKARD and W ILLIAM A. HATCHER, citizens of the United States, residing at Warren, in the county of Trumbull, State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Running-Gear for liIotor-Vehicles,of which the foliowingz, is a specification.

The purpose of this invention is to provide IO improved means for connecting the frame or body of a motor-vehicle to the axles, whereby the driving ttxle may be adjusted relatively to the frame and power-shaft to compensate for stretch. in the driving-chain and whereby eney to rotate upon its axis and the frame and body'ere braced against lateral. movement withont interfering with the free action of the springs.

In the 'eccornpanying drawings, Figure 1 is a plan View 05% motor-vehicle frame and running-gearemb odyiogourimprovements. Fig. 2 is a, plan view of the rear portion of the frame and running-gear, one of the springs being-broken away at the center. Fig/34s a. side VlGW of the rear. portion of the frame. Fig. i is it view showing in detail the connections between the forward end of one of the adjustable stay-rods the frame. Fig. 5 3o isa detail View showing the connection of sold rod to the EtKiG'SlBGVG. Fig. 6 view showing the sp. g-snpports for the forward end of the. vehicle-frame and means for bracing the vehicle frame and body against lateral motion. Fig. '7 is sview on the line A A of Fig. 6, showing the connections between the forward axle and the vehicle-frame; and Fig. dis a. detail View taken on the left of Fig. 6 the spring being in section on the line B B.

Referring to Figs. 1 too, inclusive, of the drawings, 1 indicates the frame of a motorv'ehiclc, and 2 and 3 indicate the two fixed tnbnlarhalf-nxles, within whiehsre arranged the driV-ing-nxies, the latter being connected to the rear wheels 4 andto differential ing 5, arranged within the yoke 6, connecting the two parts of the ststioneryaxle. The I frame is suppor ed upon the axle by springs and I), each spring comprising a semi-elliptienipart 8, secured by clips- 0 to a clip-plate 10, which-is formed ripen s. eleevell upon the tubular 3116, end a longer semi-eli-ipticsl part 12, which is secured to'the frame by suitable clips 13 and has its ends 14 bent downwardly around the ends of the part 8 and connected to the ends of thepnrt 8 by links 15. The Vehiele-frztmeis thus suspended from the l0\ er parts of the springs, and the rearaxle-may e adjusted forward orback relatively to the frame without straining the springs. The axle and vehicle-frame are held against relatire movement lengthwise of the frame by means of a. pair of adjustable stay-rods l6 and 17, which are pivotelly connected at their forward ends to the sides of the frame and at their rear ends to the sleeves 11 beneath the springs a and b, respectively. As shown in Fig. 5, the sleeves llare provided with forks or clevises 18-, in which the ends of the rods are bin ed or pivoted in such manner as to permit movement of the rods in vertical planes. Each rod, as shown in Fig. 4, coinprises a tubular portion 19 and a. bar 20, which is connected thereto by a threaded joint, said part 20 having a. spherical outer end 21. The part 19 is longitudinally split, as shown at 22, and said split end is clamped around the threaded ends of the part. 20 by means of a clip 23. The part '20 n-zty. be turned within the port 19 by meansofewrench eoplicd to an angular portion 24 uponthe bar 1 and the total length of the stey-rod-msy thereby be shortened or lengthened. Secured to the frame of the vehicle is a. gear-casing 25, within which is journnled the shaft 26, from which power is transmitted by a. sprocketchain to the. differential gear 5. The spl1erical head of the stay-rod 17 is held Within a. socket 27, formed upon the gear-casingimg mediately in the rear of the shaft 26 by asnitable csp'plete, (not shown in the drawings) and the spherical head of the stay-rod 16 is journaled withina. socket. 228 upon'the opposite side of the frame anddireetly in line'w'ith the head upon the rod 17. The cap-plate of the socket 28 is shown-in dotted lines in-Fig. 4-. By shortening or'lengthening the stayrods it will be seen that the axle, may be moved forwardly or rearwnrdly reiatively to the frame of the vehicle a-nd by this means the slack in the sprocket-chain may be taken up as the letter stretches from. Wear. Owing to thornnnncr in which the sgirings are con noted and connected the springs are not pairs of thrust-bars (Z and c.

. wall of the socket 47.

strained longitudinally by the adjustment of the axle and resist pressure in a vertical direction equally well in all positions of the axle. In applying a new sprocket-chain to the machine the rods will first be shortened, thereby drawing the axle forward of the central part of the spring 12, as shown in Fig. 3. Thereafter as stretch in the chain occurs the rods will be adjusted to increase their lengths, thus compensating for the stretch in the chain. It is desirable to hinge or pivot the forward ends of the rods at or near the center line of the shaft 26, which is the axis of the driving sprocket-wheel.

The forward part of the vehicle, as shown in Fig. 6, is suspended from a spring 0, arranged transversely of the vehicle and comprising two semi-elliptical parts 30 and 31, arranged back to back'and united in the center by clips 56. The ends of the lower part 31 are suspended from the pivot bearing or knuckles 32 upon the opposite ends of the front axle by links 34. The ends of the upper part -30 of the springs are connected by links 35 to the upwardly-pi'ojecting ends 36 of the side bars of the frame. The entire frame is therefore suspended from the forward and rear springs.

The front axle is maintained in its position at right angles to the frame by means of two The rear ends of the bars dare pivotally secn red in a bracket 39, attached to a side bar of the frame, and the forward ends of the bars are pivotally connected to a bracket 40, having a sleeve 41, which is secured to the axle Similarly, the rear ends of the bars c are pivoted in a bracket 42, secured to the opposite side bar of the frame, and the forward ends of said thrust-bars are pivotally connected to a bracket t3, having a sleeve 44 upon the axle 33. The manner of connecting the thrustbars to the frame and axle is illustrated in Fig. 7. In said figure the bars 37 and 38 are provided with spherical heads 45 at each end. The bracket 43, which depends from the side bar of the frame, has a socket =10 extending upwardly from its lower end, and the bracket 43 has a similar socket A7. A vertical slot -18 is formed in the front wall of thesocket 46, and a similar slot til is formed in the rear The thrust-bars are arranged parallel with one another with their spherical heads within the sockets,said bars extending through the slots 48 and 49. The harsarespaced apartbyblocks50,fitting within the sockets and having concave faces which bear against the spherical heads 45, and follower-blocks 56 and springs 57 are interposed between the bases of the sockets and the adjacentheads. The heads, blocks, and springs are secured in place by means of plugs 51, which are threaded into the ends of the sockets, said plugs also having concave faces which bear against the adjacent spherical heads of the bars. The parallel thrustbars hold the front/axle rigidly against any tendomitted or applied in only one of each pair of sockets.

In order to prevent too free lateral motion of the forward end of the vehicle-body relatively to the axle, the, frame is'pivotally connected to the axlebya rod or link 52, extending from the pivot-bearing 32 on one side of the front axle to a bracket 53, connected by a clip 51L to the side bar upon the opposite side of the frame. This arrangement permits relative movement of the parts in a vertical direction and steadies the forward end of the vehicle laterally. A diagonal brace-rod 55 is also connected to the bracket 53 and to the body of the vehicle and braces the body latorally relatively to the frame. The rear end of the vehicle-frame is held against lateral movement by the springs, which extend longitudinally of the vehicle.

Having, thus described our invention, what we claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a motor-vchicle,tl1e combination of the driving-axle, the frame, two-part springs extendingtransversely of the axle, each spring being composed of a part connected to the frame and a part connected to the axle, said parts being movable relatively to one another in the direction of their length, and longitudinally-adjustable stay-rods pivotally con-' necting the axle with the frame.

2. In a motor-vehicle,tlie combination of the driving-axle, the frame, two-part springs extending transversely of the axle, each spring being composed of a partconnected to the frame and a part connected to the axle, said parts being movable relatively to'one another,

in the direction of their length, and stay-rods pivotally connecting the axle with the frame.

In a motor-vehicle,thecombination of the driving-axle, the frame, two-part elliptical springs extending transversely of the axle and connecting the axle with the frame, the parts of each spring being movable relatively to one another in the direction of their length, and stay-rods pivotally connecting the axle with the frame.

l. In a motor-vehicle,thecombination of the driving-axle, the frame, two-part elliptical springs extending transversely of the axle and connecting the axle with the frame, the, parts of each spring being connected at their ends by links, and stay-rods pivotally connecting the axle with the frame.

Inamotor-vehicle,thecombinationofthe driving-axle, the rame, two-part elliptical springs extending transversely of the axle and connecting the axle with theframe, the

IKO

end of-one parttof each spring being bent in,,, connected thereto.

"6. In a motor-vehicle,the combination of the driving-axle, the frame, two-part elliptical ax; d the ends of the other part and yieldsprings extending transversely of the axle and connecting the axle with the frame, the

, respectively by ball-and-socket joints..-

8. In a motor-vehicle, the combination with a fixed axle, a frame and springs connecting I the axle with the frame, of two pairs of bracerods connecting the frame with the ends of" the axle, the rods of each pair being arranged one aboveths other and havingtheir ends connected to the frame and axle by ball-andsocket joints.

9. Ina motor-vehicle, the combination with a fixed axle,- a frame and springs connecting the axle with the frame, of verticallyarranged socketed r-acles upon the'frame and axle, said recs :acles having vertical slots in their walls, and a pair of brace-rods arranged one above the other, said rods extending through the slotsand having heads fitting within the sockets.

10. In a motor-vehicle, the combination with a fixed axle, the frame and springs con necting the axle with the frame of a bracket depending from the frame and a bracket secured to the axle, said brackets having vertical sockets therein, and the adjacent walls of said sockets being vertically slotted, of a pair of brace-rods arranged one above the other and extending through the -slots into the sockets, said rodshaving heads journaled within the sockets.

11. In a motor-vehicle, the combination with a fixed axle, the frame and springs connectingithe axle with the frame of a pair of brackets depending from opposite sides of the frame and a pair of brackets secured to the ends of the axles,'said brackets having vertical sockets therein and the walls of said sockets having vertical slots, and-two pairs of brace-rods connecting the axle with the frame, the rods of each pair being arranged one above the other and having their ends extending through the slots and into a socketupon the frame and a socket upon the axle, said ends having heads journaled Within the sockets.

12. In a motor-vehicle, the combination .with a fixed axle, the frame and springs connectin g the axle with the frame, of verticallyarranged socketed receptacles upon the frame and axle, said receptacles having vertical slots in their walls and a pair of brace-rods arranged one above the other, said rods extending through the slots and having heads fitting within the sockets, blocks within the sockets spacing the heads of the rods apart and plugs or caps bearing against the outermost heads of the rods.

13. In a motorvehicle, the combination 'with a frame, a fixed axle and springs connecting the axle with the frame, of means for steadying the frame laterally with respect to .nected by links with the axle and with the frame, of a rod having its ends pivotally connected to fixed parts on the axle and frame respectively, at points separated from one another laterally of the vehicle, said rod being immovable longitudinally relatively to both of its pivotal points. 1

15. In a motor vehicle the combination with a fixed axle, the frame and springs connecting the axle with the frame, of verticallyarranged socketed receptacles upon the frame and axle, said receptacles having vertical slots in their walls, a. pair of brace-rods arranged one above the othe. said rods extending through the slots and having heads fitting within the sockets, blocks within the sockets spacing the heads of .the rods apart, and springs interposed between the heads and the ends-of the sockets.

16. In a motor vehicle the combination with a fixed axle, the frame and springs connecting the axle with the frame, of verticallyarranged socketed receptacles upon the frame .and axle, said receptacles having vertical slots in their walls, a pair of brace-rods arranged one above the other, said rods extending through the slots and having heads within the sockets, bearings within the sockets for said heads, and springs within the sockets ranged to exert pressure on said bearings.

17. In a motor vehicle the combination with a fixed axle, the frame and springs connectingthe springs and axle with the frame, of vertically-arranged socketed receptacles upon the frame and axle, said recepta cl s havin g vertical slots in their walls, a pair of bracerods arranged one above the other, said rods extending through the slots and having IIO spherical heads: fitting within the sockets,

bearings for said heads, and a spring'within one of said sockets arranged to exert pressure on said bearings.

In testimony whereof we affix our signatures in presence of two witnesses.

JAMES W. PACKARD. WM. A. HATOHER.

\Vitnesses:

C. II. DUNLAP, E. L. WARNER. 

